A WIMP FREE CHRISTMAS

Fear and Loathing in Las-Christmas

As a Church leader I am happy about the opportunity to use the Christmas season and the culture to reach people with the Good news that Christ was born. But truth be told, as an average guy I feel the same kind of feeling right before Christmas that I do right after a chili cook-off. Not that I hate Christmas, I love Christmas, I just hate my inability to do so much of the Christmas thing right.
For instance, I am fearful of phrases like, “Some assembly required.” As far as I am concerned, in most cases, you might as well have placed that sticker on a Jarvis mechanical heart. I know I’m not alone in this. The outside sound of slamming car doors sends terror into many hearts and signals the annual migration of the dysfunctional family members. People you can’t believe are in your same gene pool and proof that in some cases, cousins still kiss.
If there is anything I know about Christmas , it is that Christmas is not for wimps. Its always been like that.

Holi-daze

Two thousand years ago, a young girl had to tell her fiancée that she was pregnant, it wasn’t his child but not to worry because it was a “God thing”. From there things went rapidly down hill for Mary setting the first precedent that Christmas season would be marked with emotional trauma.
Nine months later she found her self seventy miles south in the middle eastern version of the Mardi Gras. Bethlehem was over ran with lots of stressed out people that didn’t want to be there. The houses were packed, the hotels overbooked and the traffic was horrendous. Sounds a lot like today, doesn’t it? From the very beginning Christmas has not been for the faint of heart.

Manger Danger

When you consider all the mess and stress that goes with Christmas time you might be tempted to wonder if the hassle is even worth it. That is until you catch a glimpse of the child whose birth splits time from BC to AD.
I know that Christ-o-phobes would love to haul baby Jesus off like the Lindbergh kidnapper but you cant take Christ out of Christmas When you do all you have is a big mas. For those of us who are silly enough to believe in the biblical version, Christmas time is the point on our calendars where we remind ourselves God has done what none of the rest of us could have. More than that, He did it for us.

Mission Impossible

When none other than Gabriel himself was sent on the special mission to announce the birth of Jesus. He said a whole lot of things to little Mary but one phrase stands out that makes Christmas worth shouting about “With God nothing shall be impossible.”
What couldn’t be pulled off had been pulled off. What couldn’t be made right had been made right. That which was impossible became tangible reality and it has been that way ever since.
Because Christ is born in my life, I can say what used to be impossible is no longer impossible. What couldnt be made right can be made right in an instant. Every Christian on the planet has the capacity to live life with constant awareness that nothing is impossible. All that started in an overlooked stable a few miles south of Jerusalem nearly two thousands years ago.

Tough enough for Christmas

So when you start to stress out I encourage you to know that it has always taken true grit to celebrate the impossible birth that hits home with us today. May you be blessed in spite of what is against you and because Christ is born, really believe that these are the days where anything is possible.
On behalf of the Brewer family and the congregation of Open Door Church, we wish you a very merry and wimp free Christmas Season.

www.opendoorexpereince.com